Self-contained gyro trainer…..

[RotoPlane]

Just a thought…..

This may be dumb but I was wondering about the feasibility of PRA Chapter's putting together a gyro-gliding trainer that was self-contained….requiring no towing vehicle. I'm not sure of the power required to do this but perhaps it would be possible to direct a large shrouded prop's blast, far enough from a gyro rotor to cover its diameter and cause it to auto-rotate to normal rrpm's.

If an engine and prop were mounted to a turntable and a rope attached to the table periphery (in line with the prop shaft) and going out perhaps 20' to the gyro, would allow the gyro to travel 360° in no wind conditions. There could be stops to limit table rotation with wind over a certain amount. The gyro would need wheels that swivel toward any side load. The gyro could only climb as high as the prop blast would allow. Jake could throw this together in no time .

The engine and prop would be aft of the turntable (like a playground merry-go-round) center, in line with the rope.

[PalmPilot]

Ed, great idea! Have you seen this, a little more high tech, but same principal... Dailymotion - Robinson R22 Real Helicopter Flight Simulator - a Auto-Moto video

Mike

[Timchick]

kind of like a gyro wind tunnel.

[RotoPlane]

No Mike...I haven't seen that. The problem with that scheme is that there would be no true seat of the pants feel .

[RotoPlane]

Yes Tim, I guess it would be like a wind tunnel. What we need is someone like Chuck to figure if it is doable with reasonable power (like from an old car engine).

The turntable wouldn't need to be round....it could have a triangle shape.

[PalmPilot]

This person use to manufacturer Air Commander hovercraft, and now makes the super fans. Just a thought... http://www.hovercraftdepot.com/5.html

Mike

[phantom]

I don't understand the need for the turntable , I have done a shakedown test flight of a new gyro tied behind a DHC 3 otter that was also tied down and it didn't take near full power for liftoff, I only stayed up for a few minuits as it was very cold which is why I could not get the engine on the gyro started for a normal test flight. The otter used a 600 HP geared radial engine that turned a very large prop, this was not something that I planed on doing, I just happened to be trying to get the engine started when the friend who flew the otter was getting ready to take off and since he had deluted his engine the night before so it would start he had to sit at a high idle for a while and slowy increase power to evaporate the fuel out of his oil and I had heard of bensen flying a gyro behind the prop of a large autogyro.
I think that a 350 V8 belted to a large prop on a trailer with water tanks for ballest could fly a glider as long as there was someone to pay for the gas. it would be cheaper to tow the glider with a car

[RotoPlane]

Mike: That would surely be a great way to go but I was hoping for a much less expensive way….perhaps just a shrouded (like a PPG) wood or aluminum prop driven by a car engine with belt or gear reduction.

Norman: With a turntable, the gyro will always be directly behind and centered in the prop blast….otherwise with a stationary prop the gyro could leave the centered airflow and cause rotor balance and rrpm problems. I certainly could be wrong but I would think a smaller hp engine could make the rotor happy from ~20' away….then again I could be all-wet.

[RotoPlane]

A really quick sketch I what I mean....

[Mike484]

Great idea if someone could get it to work. Could be used in places where there isn't long runways or open areas where a tow vehicle could not be used.

[bmoore2156]

What happens when the engine fails and you are up in the air 10'? When I was training, my worst landing was dropping in from about 3' and not adding power. Talk about knock your fillings out. I couldn't imagine that from 10'

[RotoPlane]

I doubt that you could go that high for very long because you would be out of the blast cone....unless the prop thrust line also followed the glider. We could also use an American engine .

[phantom]

since you can't climb higher than the prop blast getting to high won't be a problem and it may be better to use 4 six foot props instead of 1 large one, this way you will stay low and it will not be so easy to scoot outside the airstream, this sounds like something that will have to be experimented with. There is another training device that works well to break the habit of flying behind the power curve with a glider, the air sled but it needs lots of space like where I am or dry lake, the only control needed is a throttle and a break away kill switch just in case of a disconnect, steering is done with the glider. I think if these had been used between the glider and powered gyro there would have been a lot less accidents in the teach your self days.

[RotoPlane]

I look at a glider as a way to become proficient at controlling the gyro for a constant wheel height of say 3'. The engine speed would be varied so the pilot would need to correct the pitch to stay at that height. By lowering the speed to a point where the gyro would be difficult to maintain wheel height, may be a good exercise for behind the power curve. Perhaps the engine could be remotely controlled so the pilot could try/practice different power settings…..

[PalmPilot]

Ed, I like where you're headed with this! It seems everything comes back around eventually, so with a little modern technology, might be a great training aid!

Mike